fabulous faux mantel & logs

before i ever began concepting or creating this years' holiday decor,

i decided that it was finally time to create a prop that i've longed for:
a fireplace mantel.

we don't have one - ours is just a Craftsman--style cabinet with a faux electric fireplace in it.
it's very nice, but it has no mantel. and hanging above it is a television.
not exactly picturesque.

wanting a setting that would work as a backdrop to my holiday decor content,

i looked at what i had already, and came up with a plan...
my faux fireplace mantel would live in my studio/office,

providing easy access for setups and the best light to be had around here.

scraps of wood from the garage made easy work of it,

and they will come apart easily when i decide it has served its purpose.
that's my kind of decorating!

continue reading to see details - AND how to make those fab faux logs!

diy paper paint chip leaf wreath

as i was preparing to create holiday content for the blog this year,

i sourced some paint chips (paint color cards, etc) as supplies for my chosen theme.

and i want to be perfectly clear about WHERE i sourced them:
i didn't take these paint chips from the displays at the hardware or paint store.
i asked the manager of my local paint store if they had any OLD paint fans
that might not be in use any more (because new ones come out every year)...
and they handed them over with a smile. FREE.
a very happy Deb with arms full of paint fans nearly skipped out the door.

but as it so happens, while i was in the midst of creating decor for Christmas... 
another FALL decor idea hit me. so i stopped, and created this fall decor.
(i endeavor to NOT anger my muse!)

it's so simple, you could make the leaves from any kind of paper -
gift wrap, paper bags, scrapbook paper, wallpaper scraps!

continue reading for more details and the easy how-to...

painted toile floral pumpkins

i continue to be inspired by the current trend of painting pumpkins
to resemble blue and white Chinoiserie ceramics.
those colors aren't in our home decor palette, however,
so i painted a few more pumpkins
to match the brown toile pattern on some vintage dishes that i have.

my small collection of toile or 'Staffordshire' English china
 includes dishes from Royal Staffordshire, Alfred Meakin, and AJ Wilkinson.
the 'Brown Tonquin' pattern on almost all of them was designed by Clarice Cliff,
including the beautiful floral on the tiny saucer that inspired my artwork.

it's a beautiful look for fall that fits into classic, boho, farmhouse, and even coastal decor.

continue reading for more details...

diy wood slat shade / privacy screen

living here in the semi-desert of Southern California means we get a lot of sun.

for four years, i've been struggling with - and have tried - many ways to block that sun

so that we can enjoy our patio and backyard in the late afternoon.

but along with the sun is wind. Santa Ana winds and strong daily afternoon winds.

those winds have torn down every umbrella and shade cloth and curtain i've hung.

finally a bright idea dawned on me - make it wood!

the simple solution was to repeat another element of our landscaping

and create a wood screen to withstand wind and block the afternoon sun.

the best part of this project? it makes use of a pre-made element available at Lowes.

paired with an item i already had, it became the perfect shade screen for us - 

and would work as a privacy screen, as well!

continue reading to see how simple this outdoor diy project is...

faux terra cotta pumpkins + tutorial

the decor is simple on our porch this year...

just a few select elements combine to give our entryway a fall mood.
(no, that's not a photo of our porch! i'll probably share that on Insta) 

however, real pumpkins are not an option when it's still over 100 degrees.

my solution to that dilemma was to gather up the pumpkins we have on hand

(plus the new-to-me 'Funkin' faux pumpkin that i found at a thrift store

and used in my recent fall harvest scarecrow project)

and give them a cohesive look... 

and i did that with paint, of course!

continue reading for my easy 'faux terra cotta' paint' tutorial...

boho lace pumpkins

i am always trying to find new ways to create pumpkin decor to enjoy in the fall...
i'm game to try anything to see if it will work.
i recently came across some photos of this past project, never shared here on the blog,
and thought i had better do that before the window of opportunity for fall decor closes!

these are a fun way to create pumpkins with a bohemian style vibe,
perfect in combination with the neutral hues, macrame' accents, and wood textures
in the 'of the moment' boho modern fall decorating.

continue reading for details on how easy these are...

fall flip: guest room update

back in August, i shared the no-cost makeover i created in our guest room - 
a cool, refreshing boho mod style in tones of greens and accented with succulents.

no one has come to stay with us since then, but i've just updated the decor...

and even though there isn't a pumpkin or a leaf in sight,
adding the color orange really works to to bring in a 'fall' mood.
(it's still hot here. but it's October now, so i have to accept the inevitable!)

continue reading to see how a few small changes made a BIG difference

 in the way this room feels...

why 'seasonal' decorating?

i get that question a lot: "why do you change your home decor with the season?"

it's not such a foreign concept, really. most people do this at certain points in the year -
Halloween, Christmas, Fourth of July, Easter.

they bring out decor elements that are specific to those holidays to enhance their enjoyment.

i grew up with a Mom who did that, making holidays special.

decorating for winter, spring, summer, and autumn is a similar approach...

simple, subtle changes in color and accessories can make a dramatic difference

in how a room feels, and how i live in it.

for example, the room shown above... it's filled with warm neutral hues and soft textures,

the perfect place to cozy up on a rainy fall day.

but i wouldn't want to live in it like that during a hot summer!

with a few simple changes, the mood shifts and the room feels appropriate to the season.

 

every season brings a new design scheme, refreshing the space and me with new energy. 

and when i say 'new design scheme', i'm not talking totally redecorating a room.

i'm not advocating spending a bundle - of money OR time - several times a year.

easy changes - swapping out colorful accessories and bringing in touches of nature - 

are my main methods for bringing the beauty of a new season indoors.

it doesn't take a lot of money or effort to get results like this - just imagination!

continue reading to see the room above change through the seasons of a year...

a succulent tablescape

this final post for august wraps up my recent succulent / cacti obsession,
which i think is a great way to bridge the hot 'summer into fall' seasonal change.

today, i'll share how i took some of the elements that i created for the

no-cost, use-what-you-have guest room makeover

and found a whole new way to use them... on the dining table.

this clean, crisp, contemporary nature-based composition
fits so many decor styles: boho, rustic, industrial, modern,

and will work indoors and outdoors to make entertaining really easy!

 you'll also find a quick tutorial for making one last version of faux succulents to decorate with.

continue reading...

ping pong paddle painted cacti

i sometimes see something online that inspires me, 
and i take the idea a bit further...

add or subtract or just let it jump-start my imagination,

and end up creating my own new version of something.

i thought i'd share this view of a past project with you today...
it was inspired by someone else's project, i took it further with my own idea,
and i shared the BACK side of it last fall.
(to be honest, i like this side the best!)

continue reading to see all of the prickly details of my faux cacti!

tutorial: make faux succulents from ribbons

as i've been scouring my house for crafting / decorating supplies during quarantine,

i've unearthed a LOT of stuff that i had forgotten about!
case in point: a tin container of multicolored ribbons shoved in a box.
i pulled them out, separated them by color, and looked at the pile of green ribbons

with an eye toward using them somehow in the new guest room decor.

nothing immediately came to me UNTIL i walked outside that evening to water our plants.

i looked over at a galvanized bucket filled with succulents and BING! 

bells started ringing in my head.

a nice 'play' session ensued, where i messed around with paper, scissors, and glue

to combine with those ribbons and turn them into a decor element.

once that was done, i attached them to something already in the room -

and i really like the way this one turned out!

continue reading for the before, during, after, 

AND a tutorial to walk you through making your own faux succulents from ribbons!

painted ceramic vases = faux cacti!

ideas for decorating with succulents and cacti have taken over my brain!

i've been sharing all of the details of projects completed as part of a recent

no-cost makeover of our guest room, giving it boho style,

and i hope you've been finding some inspiration for projects of your own!

the bowl of faux succulents/cacti shown above reveals another one, and it's SO easy. 

continue reading to see the before & after transformation...

scrap paper cacti wall art

this project was a really fun one... 

it's one of those 'paper, scissors, paste' crafts that always make me feel like i'm back in school.

simple materials and process combine to create a nifty piece of wall art

that ended up NOT on a wall at all... 

continue reading for the details and a quick 'how-to'!

garden junk in the bathroom?!

you can't give a guest room a new look without foofing up the guest bath, too...

i completed that task using things i had on hand in a new way, and it didn't cost a cent!

one of the projects i completed for this quick makeover 

was a variation of something i've done before with a certain piece of junk.

the other was painting some fun and funky faux cacti - using a pretty unusual material. 

continue reading to see more!

sweater + pool noodle faux cacti tutorial

the inspiration for these fun and funky faux cacti

began last fall with the design and creation of my Original Sweet Sweater Succulents.

when i recently decided to create new decor with a boho modern vibe, 

succulents were definitely a big part of the design... faux succulents, that is.

so i came up with yet another way to use my bottomless supply of sweater remnants:

pair a sweater sleeve with a simple pool noodle, and you've got taller cacti!

i used the new version in this basket under the side table in the recent guest room makeover,

paired with some of the previous versions (made like my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!).

this is a really 'fast, cheap & easy' craft project to complete using scraps -

continue reading for a simple tutorial to help you make your own...

faux succulent wreath & wall decor

 when it came to wall art in our newly 'refreshed' guest room, 
i re-thought the currently hot trend of 'basket groupings' on walls

and went with a grouping of repurposed rusty metal items instead.

resembling woven baskets, they give the room a 'boho' feel - in a unique way.

my take on 'modern boho style' is less earth-child hippie and a bit more mid-century in feel.

and there's a reason for that:

during my sophomore summer, one of my jobs was selling imported baskets at the swap meet -

it was a hot, sweaty, physical job that a friend and i did every weekend all summer long.

we had to drive a junky old 'three on the tree' van to the drive in, unload it,

set up displays of the baskets, and then sit there all day convincing people to buy them.

then we had to load up anything that didn't sell. it was exhausting.

the only redeeming quality of it was the paycheck and spending time with my friend.

so now i have an aversion to baskets being used as they were back then! (the late 70's)

i like this solution... and just wait until you get a closer look at those succulents!

continue reading to see all of the details and 'how-to's'...

no-cost diy boho guest room decor

my home is basically a laboratory. a design 'test kitchen' of sorts.
every space is fair game for me to try out ideas, 
without worrying whether or not they'll work. if not, i try a new approach!

recently i had some ideas for some new decor that would bridge summer into fall,
with a bit of a 'modern boho' vibe. 
i just wasn't ready to remove all of the fun tiki style details
that we are enjoying in our main living spaces this summer.
so i took a peek into the guest room... and found a willing volunteer.
this room has been the same for four years, and it's long past time for a refresh!

i got to work and created a buncha' new projects, then restyled the room in a day.
i used what i have on hand here at home, so a whole new look didn't cost me a cent.
(all of those projects will be getting the spotlight in upcoming posts)

continue reading to see the before, during, after - and all of the details!

summer patio decor refresh

this patio decor project is a perfect example 
of my homewardFOUND decorating philosophy:
re-think what you already have to make your home look terrific!

we've reached the middle of the strangest summer on record,
and if you're like me, you've been home A LOT  - 
maybe the spaces you've spent a lot of time in might need a refresh right about now.
since we're all enjoying the nice weather outdoors these days,
why not give your patio, porch, or deck a quick makeover? FREE?!

continue reading to see two examples of VERY 'fast, cheap, & easy' makeovers
on two different outdoor living spaces...

up-cycled magazine page floral art

you know how people always say 'let me sleep on it'?
that creative solutions come to them in their dreams?
yeah.... not me. my muses come at night and KEEP me from sleeping.

at the end of the day, i climb into bed, 

nestled up with a cup of tea and a good book to read - or my phone to scroll thru.

my goal is to slow my brain down, stop the flow of thoughts and ideas, so i can fall asleep.

and every once in a while, it actually works.

most of the time, though, i see something online or read a description in a book,

and my brain starts imagining wild creations and designs.

so i haul myself out of my comfy nest of a bed, run across the hall,

go into my studio, and scribble a quick sketch or jot a note to capture the idea

before it vanishes into the ether. 

i was today years old when i finally got SMART!

i decided that i need to have a small notepad and pen on my bedside table instead.

  a quick bit of mixed media art fun resulted - and now i've got a solution i can sleep with.

continue reading to see what inspired the design!

faux painted bamboo mirror

 when we moved into this house four years ago,

our decorating modus operandi was truly 'use what you have'...

more than 90% of the furniture we used came from my mom's old house

(1% came from mine - my grandpa's dresser and my farmhouse table!)

the mirror we have in our entry hall came from the guest room at the last house,

where it matched a dresser with a 'bleached oak' finish.

honestly, i love the mirror here...

it bounces light from the kitchen into an area that is lacking light.

but mercy, the original frame! i just haven't been sure about what to DO to it.

i contemplated a simple black satin stain or paint finish at one point,

but ruled it out as being too dark for this area of our home.

then two days ago, a brainstorm hit, and in just a few hours 

that mirror was made completely new using a faux paint treatment.

continue reading to see more details - including the 'before and after' shot...